Who Was Ben On Ozark & How Did He Die?
One of the more interesting characters introduced to us in the third season of Ozark was Ben, who was Wendy’s brother. But while Ben only lasted a single season on Ozark because he ended up dying at the end of season 3, his death still casts a shadow on season 4. But who exactly was Ben on Ozark, and how did he die?
Ben Davis on Ozark is Wendy Byrde’s brother. It was during the third season when he first appeared on the show. Ben was portrayed as a former substitute teacher with bipolar disorder and lost his job after losing his temper in class. He was killed when he revealed too much about Helen and became a liability.
The thing about Ben was that he was a remarkable addition to what was already a great show. Fans loved the character because he was able to showcase what it was like to have bipolar disorder really well. Of course, he still ended up suffering the consequences of sticking his nose into something that he shouldn’t have, as he died at the end of season 3.
Who Was Ben On Ozark?
Like a lot of shows that are available for streaming, Ozark kept on getting better every season. One of the best additions to the show during season 3 was Ben Davis, who proved to be an integral part of Ozark even though he only appeared for one season. And Ben’s effect on the show was felt even during the events of season 4. But who was Ben on Ozark?
Ben Davis is the brother of Wendy Byrde, who is one of the main characters on Ozark. He first appeared in season 3 and was mentioned several times in the previous seasons before he finally debuted.
Before his character debut, Ben worked as a substitute teacher. However, because of his mental illness, he lost his temper in class when private pictures of one of his students were circulating. While he may have had the best intentions in mind, he disposed of the cellphones himself and went on to assault somebody.
Due to the incidents surrounding his time as a substitute teacher, Ben had to go into hiding, as Wendy took him in. He made himself home while hiding from the authorities but ended up finding himself in a situation that was more than he could chew when he started making friends with people around town.
Who Is Ben To Ruth On Ozark?
While Ben was in hiding and taking refuge with Wendy, he also went on to befriend Ruth, with who he fell in love. Ben and Ruth started dating, and this led to Ben doing away with his bipolar medication because it affected his sexual performance.
Knowing the consequences of what might happen with Ben seeing Ruth, Wendy actually tried to convince Ruth to end the relationship. However, the younger girl still continued seeing Ben, and that became costly to him because of his mental issues.
What Did Ben Do In Ozark?
So, as Ben continued to stay with Wendy, he eventually met several key figures that were involved with the entire crime cartel. He befriended the young Erin, who is actually the daughter of antagonist Helen Pierce, a lawyer who works for the Omar Navarro drug cartel.
However, Erin doesn’t know that her mother works for the cartel, and Ben makes the mistake of telling her the truth. When Helen found out about it, she went on to look at Ben as a major liability that could jeopardize her career and her relationship with her daughter.
How Did Ben Die In Ozark?
When Helen finds out about Ben, she orders a hitman to kill him because he is now a liability that could easily damage the entire operation. After that, Ben tried to escape the situation while also acting erratically due to his mental issues.
Wendy eventually discloses Ben’s location, as the hitman goes out looking for him. The moment the hitman finds Ben, he kills him, as Ben dies at the end of season 3. Essentially, it may have been the hitman that pulled the trigger on Ben, but Helen was the one who ordered his death. Furthermore, Ben’s mistakes were what cost him his life.
What Mental Illness Does Ben From Ozark Have?
The thing about Ben was that he was diagnosed with a mental disorder that caused him to become bipolar. This bipolar disorder forced him to take meds that helped him manage his mental issues. Of course, it was his bipolar tendencies that got him into trouble, as he was fired from his job as a substitute teacher and was later killed.
However, what you need to know about Ben is that he was a very simple man that saw things in a simple way because of the fact that he had bipolar issues. He was a bit innocent and was just someone who loved his entire family and his girlfriend Ruth. Ben had a childlike simplicity that made him a very pure character, despite his many flaws as a person.
Because of his mental disorder, Ben sort of saw things as black and white and was incapable of seeing the gray areas. As such, he was a double-edged sword that could do good but also do damage. And his mental disorder was what eventually killed him.
Who Plays Ben On Ozark?
The actor playing Ben on Ozark is Tom Pelphrey, who became a notable actor because of his portrayal of Ben and how good he was at making audiences see the effects of bipolar disorder in the way a person sees things.
Tom was so good at portraying Ben that fans took to social media to express their frustration when he was not included for an Emmy Award nomination back in 2020. But he did get a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination because of his amazing portrayal of the character and his mental issues.
One of the things that Tom Pelphrey did to portray Ben really well was that he connected with his character on a deeper level. In fact, he actually cried when he learned that Ben was going to die, as he had a deep connection with the character and was in awe of the overall direction of the writing.
